Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-03-24
Cultivating Spring Grain.
Practical Farmer.

Cultivating Spring Grain.
Practical Farmer.
None of the small grains are regarded
as hoed crops by the average American
farmer. In England few years ago
wheat was commonly hoed in spring, part
ly to clean the land of weeds and partly
to benefit the crop. With fair prices for
wheat the farmers thought the expense
well epaid. Of late years, however, hoe
ing wheat has gone into di.use in Eng
lanad, as prices of the wheat will not
warrent the expense. Scarifying the sur
face with the smoothing harrow of COM
mon drag has superseded the slower
and more expensive hoe. This is an
American idea, and originated in wish
to accomplish cheaply what the hoe does
extensively. 1t is practically quite as
efficient as the hoe. The very slight scar
flying of the surface answers every pur-
pose in tilling in light and air to the soil
which the deeper pulverization of the hoe
accomplishes.
In one respect scratching the surface
with the smoothing harrow, the teeth of
which slant backward. is better than hoe
ing. 1t does not destroy fall-sown seed
grass, which by the time the smoothing
harrow can be used in the spring has suffi-
cicnt root to be benefited rather than in
jured by the operation. We would net
use a drag or smoothing harrow after
spring-sown grass or cloversee6 sprout-
ed. Yet used before sowing grass seed it
is a great help toward securing good
! catch. Glover never fails where wheat
fields are duly narrowed in spring before
sowing. Waiting for the ground to dry
enough for this sometimes delays seeding,
but the finely pulverized surface gives the
plants an advantage which repays the
loss from delay.
Narrowing spring grain is still newer
idea, but destined we believe, to become
popular on all heavy soils. The neces-
stiles of oats, barley and spring wheat
are seeding so early that it is always
followed by cold, wet weather, which COM
pacts the surface, greatly to the injury of
the plant. Some farmers wait until fine,
dry, warm weather before sowing oats
and barley. They want the young grain
| to grow without setback. But In prac-
tice they find that this late sowing makes
rank, strawy growth. The straw breaks
down and the heads are flled with shriv-
eled, imperfect kernels. The grain is also
much THINNER on the ground, warm. dry
weather causing the plants to shoot up
rapidly, instead Of spreading at the root,
as 1T is the natural tendency with spring
grain sown early.
| The only difficulty about early sowing OF
spring grain is that the surface is sure to
be com pacted by rains or snow. This
evil is effectually remedied by narrowing.
On ground free from stones Or sOds 30
plants are injured to any extent even by
the common drag, though il tears the soil
more deeply than is necessary. The
smoothing harrow breaks the hard crust
which keeps light and warmth from the
roots, and this is all that is necessary.
It is possible that in this operation some
leaves are broken or bruised to such an
extent as to check their growth. This is
an advantage rather than an in Jury. The
shoots so arrested in their growth are
replaced by two or three times as many
sent up from the more vigorous root If
we can stimulate the roots to greater
vigor, as we can by cultivating the sur
face, we shall inevitably make the stand
of grain much heavier than it otherwise
would be.
Cultitvating spring grain is adapted
to that sown very late as we'll as to
that sown early. The effect Of running
the drag or smoothing harrow over grain
is to thicken it on the ground, causing
more heads to grow from a single seed.
AS this cultivation, increases the avail
able supply of plant food, the heads will
be larger and the berry more plump.
A stimulated growth of large number
of stalks and heads from light seeding,
with cultivation, Is everywhere prefer
able to sowing seed thickly to produce
/ this desired result. The closely sown
grain acts as weed to diminish the
growth, but where single plants are made
TO cover the ground the effect is much
better. No one could g1ess from small
imperfect nubbins on thickly sowed corn
how large ears of the golden grain could
be produced by planting thinly and cul
tivating thoroughly.
One of the good effects of narrowing
spring grain, especially that early sown,
Is in the greatly improved condition of
the soil for fall blowing. In many places
oats and barley occupy the ground which
in the fall is to be plowed for winter
wheat. They are hurried in while the
| ground is wet, the surface rolled to make
it smooth fer the reaper, and long before
fall the surface is more like brick than
like tillable soil. Harrow this surface
once after the grain is up and then roll.
The finely pulverized earth on the sur
meath in friable condition. It is just
what is needed to save pillow points and
labor in breaking up oat CT barley stub
BILE for wheat. Wero there no advantage
20 the grain from this cultivation of the
surface, the benefit in preparing for
succeeding crops would be alone sufici en-
to Justify it.
ONE of the largest seins In the world Is
the one in use near Gloucester Point, \.
J. 1t is mile and quarter long, and
each year one-third of it has to be renew
ed, the work being done in Baltimore. 1t
is used in catching shad, and at the open
ing of each season thousands of people
gather to witness the haul. Old fisher
men bel eve that shad will be running
lively by the beginning of April. They
declare that all the signs point to an
early spring. The first Delaware shad
was recently captured at Bayside, where
it sold for Is cents.
Do not use fertilizers too lavishly on
potato plarts. small quantity applied